How to Learn from This

So what will all of this picture posting teach me? Is it really going to help me improve my photography? Can you do that, relying on a few friends to check out a blog?

In a nutshell - no.

So what's the point?

This blog will keep me shooting, trying new things, taking exercises from photo books, other sites, friends, and who knows where else? Yes, I think that having people tell me where I messed up, how to improve on pictures, or where I succeeded is key to success, but just having "homework" to consistently do, think about, and post, will do a lot, too.

Bill Smith and Ken Rockwell are right - the way to get better is to take more pictures, see what you like, and figure out why you like it. It's funny. Bill Smith has great advice in his book - but I am just not a fan of his photography. It seems forced at times. But when he talks about just going out and shooting at festivals when he happens upon them, I love what he captures!

So why share this? I'm assuming that pushing yourself to take photographs that make you feel uncomfortable or sending out a blog address to friends and photographers on the Internet that you've never met is part and parcel of learning to become better at an art. Your comfort zone is easy. You don't get better in your comfort zone. There's no way that I can live in D.C. and take shots of gorgeous natural landscapes multiple times a week like I would love to. Instead, giving myself a weekly challenge to keep this blog going will force me to try all sorts of new things, hopefully getting better.

Since you may have made it this far, here are some of my favorite shots from the last year.

The People of Inauguration 2013

And now for something completely different...

     One of the things that Bill Smith loves to talk about in his book, "Designing a Photograph," is the opportunities that festivals, parades, and other public gatherings have for photo opportunities. I felt like 50% of the photos in the book came from a few parades in the Carribean.

     So, why not try that out? If there are good shots to be had, why not, right? I definitely learned a lot just in observing people, and not necessarily firing off shots. It's not easy to be unobtrusive, quick, AND to get a good shot. Below are some of what I took downtown today, during the 2013 Presidential Inauguration.

Equipment Used 

 
Nikon D3100 Camera, 55-200m VR lens


It's hard to get a good image when you have a crowd of people posing for pictures. That and I did not get a good shutter speed for this one. WAY too fast. Luckily, I actually paid better attention to that afterwards!



The importance of being fast. She was dancing while wearing a skunk tail. One second earlier - perfect shot.This shot? Not as interesting.


Terrible framing in the 2nd photo, but a better image of the souvenir salesman. Easily corrected on the computer, but should've had it good to go from square one.


The first shot of the motorcycle cop is too bland. I like the close-up more, seeing him checking his phone while bundled up and armed. Kind of whimsical, almost.


This one I wanted to just get a photo of the reenactor talking on the phone naturally. He saw me, and started to pose at attention, which might have come out pretty good. I liked the juxtaposition, but neither photo had the natural element of when I first raised the camera.



I think that I got a little too crazy with the angle on the shot of the couple with the flags. I think that the lines make for an interesting shot, but they're almost too extreme.

This was actually harder than I expected. I wanted the zoom lens for versatility (and I've enjoyed how portraits or closer pictures of people come out with the lens at 85mm or so), but finding the interesting and fun shots in a sea of winter coats isn't always simple. I didn't camp out for the parade, and didn't have a press pass, so I had to content myself with wandering on the periphery.

Overall, this was a great learning experience. I think that the next public event to hit D.C. will show that this paid off!

Exercise Two - Bill Smith, Designing a Photograph

Exercise Two

     "Take two rolls of film and go out shooting. Each time you decide to
take a picture, immediately shoot five more frames of the same
subject, moving closer to the subject with each shot. This exercise
develops the conscious process of what a professional photographer
does unconsciously every time he shoots."

     - Bill Smith

(This is actually the third exercise in the book, but neither of us felt like doing the "cat's eye view" exercise on the Mall that day. It will have to come later!)

     For this exercise we went into the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. It seemed like the best place to have lots of very different subject to photograph. And, since most of the lawn is open to walk on, it's perfect for this exercise!

     I interpreted this exercise to mean that as I walked forward, I was not re-framing my photographs, but rather keeping the camera focused on the same point, and at the same focal length.

     With that in mind, I feel like this exercise simply demonstrates the effect that moving, rather than lens/camera adjustments can have on a photograph. It's one of those lessons that I keep reading about (when in doubt, move six inches and change how you're looking at something), but have had to really focus on practicing. This very nicely demonstrates just how dramatic that shift can be.

Equipment Used 

Nikon D3100 Camera, 18-55m lens (kit lens)


Subject One


Subject Two


Subject Three


Subject Four


Subject Five


Subject Six


Subject Seven


Subject Eight


Subject Nine


Subject Ten


Subject Eleven


Subject Twelve